Accurate measurements of parameters, such as force, are often required in a wide variety of applications. Micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) devices, such as accelerometers, have been extensively used in dynamic distance and speed measurements, inclination, machine vibration, buildings and structural monitoring, component placement in manufacturing, process control systems and safety installations. Angular rotation rate MEMS, also referred to as the gyroscope or the rate sensors, are useful in areas such as navigation, automotive (e.g., electronic stability control), entertainment (e.g., user motion detection for game consoles), photography (e.g., image stabilization), animal behavior studies, and many other applications. Pressure sensors are similarly widely used in applications such as weather, industrial monitoring and control, aircraft and automotive, oil and gas exploration, flow sensing, acoustics, etc. Many other parameter measurement applications exist, such as magnetic force measurements used in navigation and mineral exploration or electrostatic force measurements used in microscopy, etc.
Recent advancements have allowed for increased sensitivity in accelerometers using time domain measurements of oscillation perturbations by exploiting post processing of time domain data. However, the fabrication of such devices has been problematic because the proximity required to produce a tunneling event presents fabrication challenges such as low yield and long processing involving multiple focused ion beam cuts. Accordingly, it is desirable for an improved fabrication method for a proximity switch that may be used in such devices.